Railroad track dresser



June 27, 1933. J A; BRYANT 1,915,919

RAILROAD TRACK DRESSER Filed Dec. 5 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l 7 w/ v i /u June 27, 1933-.

J.4A`. BRYANT RAILROAD TRACK DRSSER 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Deo.

e 4.. 9 f 2940. a/ O/O o/O f VCal'.

y io clear obstructions alongthe roadbed.` l

A further object 1s to provide an improved Patented June y2'77, 1933 L JAMES AQBRYANT; or s'r, CHARLES', ILLINOIS l RAILROAD TMCKDRESSER i y Applicationled December 3, 1931. Serial'No. 578,627.

The present invention relates to a machine fordressing the vballast, of a railway-roadbed. In the ordinary railroad bed, particularly whelethe ties are'set in a raised, ballasted bed, the rock, constituting the bed tends to become displaced from between and aroundthe ends of the ties, and to be scattered down along the side slope of the bed, such resulting from the Vibration of passing trains and the action of weather, etc. 'The general object of the present invention is road track dresser which will reclaim this scattered ballast material and move .it up to the side slope of the roadbed to proper position between and Aaround the ends of the ties. y The device comprises a deflector beam mounted on one side of a railroad car and projecting therefrom as an Outrigger deflecting surface, adapted `to engage the ballast material along the side slope of the roadbed 'and to deflect this material upwardly tothe shoulder of the roadbed.

Another object of the invention is to pro- '.vide an improved construction and arrangement. ofV adjustable` attachingk mechanism vfor adj ustably securing the deflector beam to the This adjustable attaching mechanism enables angular and translational adjustments to be given the deilector bea-m in the angle of inclination of the beam to be adjusted for'rd-ifferent 'angles of sidev slope of the roadbed; Yit also enables the deflector beam to be adjusted vertically with a trans.- lational Amotion whereby the entire beam can be made to work at a higher orlower level for accommodating different heights of the roadbed, and'when fixed infone of these thevertical angutranslationalA adjustments lar adjustment ofthe deflector beam can'alsO be changed to conform to a particular angle or contour of the roadbed, y

A further object of the invention is to provide improved 'lifting mechanism by..which the deflector beam canL be quickly and easily swung up to an inoperative position in order construction and arrangement of extension gravel or kearth ballast to provide an improved railthe verticalk deflectors which may be provided per and lower ends of thel main beam deflector. Y Such extension deflector yon the upper end of the main defiector beam may b e cmployed'to properly form the shoulder at the I top of the roadbed adjacent to the ends ofthe Y ties and to pack the ballast into thisv shoulder,

and a like extension rdefiector may." be

'employed at the lower end of the main beam purpose of gathering scat- *cey Y defiector for the tered ballast'adjacent to the sub-grade or for levelingk the sub-grade. In this regar-d, a further object ofthe invention is to provide f improved means for adjusting the angular relations of the'extension deflectors to the main beam deflector. Y K

A further object of the invention is to provide track dressing mechanism of the above general description which can be embodied inthe form of an attachment `capable of quick and easy mounting on an-ordinary .hand-r car, push-car or other track maintenance car. As illustrative of the practicability of such adaptation, I have used successfully for a considerable.

" large rolling stockand a locomotive for its operation. -While the above described attachment form of nay-mechanism is'the preferred embodiment of the invention, it'will bev understood that if desired the mechanism f can be constructed as part of a-specially built car designed solely for track dressing.' l

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear engaged inthe operation of'dressi-ng the side slope of the railway roadbed;

Fig. 2 -is an end view of the -car and attachment device, showing in dotted lines the Thus the presr from-the .following devtail description of -a preferred embodiment j on the upi* time an embodiment of ,W kmy mvention mounted on a small railway and Y delector beam raised to clear an obstruction,

Y and showing in full lines one of the adjusted able connection between the dellector orV scraper assembly andl the swinging link arm which vconnects this assembly with the car; Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the i adjustable attachment or" one ot the extension detlectors on the end of the main deflector beam; n

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately on the plane of the line 6 6 ot' Fig. 5; anc

Fig. 7 isa perspective View illustrating the manner of detachably mounting the bracket, which carries the delecting beam, on the railway car.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate a typical roadbed consisting of a fill Z) of rock, gravel or earth having a side slope s extending down to the sub-grade g. The track consisting of the ties 9 and rails 10 are usually set in a short distance from the shoulder at the upper end of the slope s. j

An ordinary push-car is indicated generally at 11, comprising the usual wheels 12 and longitudinal and transverse frame members 13 and 14 to which the platform or floor 15 is secured. Detachably secured to the floor of the push-car is an l..-sl iaped mounting bracket 16y having a depending arm.17 projecting downwardly from the side of the car. Referring to Fig. 7, said bracket comprises a horizontalarin portion 16a which is adapted t0 have quickly attacliable and detachable mounting on the push car. The attachment is effected to a mounting plate 18 which is 'tixedly bolted or riveted to the platform 15 of the car. The inner portion ofthe attachment plate 18 is formed with a .raised socket 187) into which a tongue portion 162i on the inner end of the bracket is adapted to slide. The

' Outer portion of the detachable bracket has laterally extending arms 160 which are adapted to slip under hook lugs 180 which rise from the attaching plate and have'outwardly projecting'ends adapted to overlie the arms 166. Iii desired, small abutment lugs 18d may project up from the attachment plate 18 to engage the side edges or the bracket arm 16a in order to carry stresses` tending to defleet the bracket sidewise on the plate. The outer ends of the laterally extending bracket arms' are apertured at 16e to receive readily releasable pins 19 which slip down =into sockets 18e extendingdownwardly from'the forward portion of the attaching plate 18. To detach the bracket 16 from the plate. 18 it is only necessary to lift the two pins 19 out ofy their sockets andy to then slide the bracket outwardly,vthereby disengaging the bracket extremity 16?) from the socket 185 and disengaging the bracket arms 16o :trom under the hook Vlugs 180.

the dilierent socket or abutment portions ot the-bracket 16 with the corresponding socket for abutment portions ot' the` socket plate 18. The quick detachability of the bracket enables theuentire detlejctor beam assembly to be instantly releasedv from the push-car when it vis ldesired to litt said car from thetracks to permit a train to pass, as l shall hereinafter` carries ailocking dog 27 adapte-d to engage B5' with the 'teeth 28 in the sector 24, this dog being releasable through actuation oic an ordinary hand grip 2901i the lever 25. The connectionot this lifting lever with the delector i beam will be reeri-ed'to later.

The lower end of the bracket arm 17 carries a pivot bolt 31 on which an'outwardly Replacing the bracket isV merely a reversal of this, so as to reengage projecting link or extension arm 32 is pivotally supported. The pivotal attachment of link 32 at pivot point 31 may be suitably revenforced by providing a plurality of cooperating tongues or lugs on said link and on the bracket arm 17 all receiving the pivot bolt 3l. VIt will be observed from Fig. 1 that the pivot axis 31'is disposed at a relatively low point at the side of the car soV that stresses acting longitudinally oli' the link 32 will have a minimum tendency to tip the car. The outer end of link 32 is pivotally connected at 33 with an extension arm 34 constituting part of the deHect-or or scraper assembly. The de-l llector beam, indicated at 35, is bolted or` otherwise suitably secured to the outer end of the-arm 34. A reenforcing strut 35 is secured between the inner end portions of the arm 34 and beam` 35 to carry the stresses acting against the frontface of the deflector beam.v

. Said beam 35 is shown vas consisting of' a heavy timber, although it might be constructed of metal it desired. lnthe illustrated embodiment, a steel scraping blade 37 is` secured to the front face of the beam, with the lower edge of said blade flush with or projecting slightly below the, lower edge of the beam 35. rThe beam 35 is inclined tore and att with its rear end innermost (Fig. 1) so that when the push-car 14 is wardly the beam will deflect the ballast inwardly toward the track; and, referring to Figs. 2 and 3, said beam is heldin fixed angular relation to the arm 34 whereby with a given angular position of said arm the delector beam will deilect the; desired slopes of the roadbed. The diagonal strut 36 has a plurality of spaced holes 36a in its rear endforreceiving the boltBG which ballast up the propelled forv attaches said strutto the beam 35. Theinj 1 wardandoutwardfor fore and aft deiiecting j angle of thebeam 351can be readily adjusted l.by removing-the bolt 36?) andreplac'ing it in adiiferentone'ofthe holes 36a, thereby varying the effective length ofthe strut36. When 'Y saidboltis securely 'fastenedin place the strut36 rigidly secures `the beam 35to the army, 34.l The -tractive force transmitted to thefbeam-in the scraping-operation is borne lairgely by a chain 39 which at its-outer end is `securedthrough'anv attachmentV fitting 41 with thefouter portion of the `,arm 34 and beam 35, andY which is suitably anchored at its inner endto. the front corner of the pushcar,` as indicated at 42. This chain extends `diagonallybetween the outer portion. of the -deflector beam and the front portion of the push-car and functions as a ,tension member for transmitting pull to the deflector beam.

A -bar 44 extends between the arm y34 and -the lever 25. This bar is pivotallyconnected y with the arm 34 through a bolt connection 45, and is pivotally connected lwith the lever transverse pivot bolt 46. vThe pivot j g connection 45-may `consist of two pivoteyes connected by a transverse bolt, or it may con-A sist, as shown, of a bolt extending through the f arm 34 and having a slotted connection with the bar44 to permit the desired range of c pivotal movement between these parts. Provision may be'made forl changing the angle Y of the lever 25 in .its relation to the arm 34,

. such as by making the bar 44 in twosections adapted to' be increasedor decreased in effective length; or by. providing a series offholes kin the upper end of said bar, or verticallyl spaced in the lever 25, or in both the bar and rlever, whereby the pivot bolt 46 can be shifted to different ones of these fholes for adjusting j the effective length of the bar 44 or the point `54 to the inwardly extending arm portion 16a of the bracket 16 and connectingfthe upper lof attachment'of said bar to the lever 25,.l

To facilitate the operation of lifting 'the deflector beam to its inoperative position I propose anchoring one vor more tension springs 'ends of these springs with the lifting lever 25 ythrough a chain 55. This yspringv means may be of sufficient tension to counterbal-ance the" entire weight ofthe deiiector beamassembly, or only part of its'weight.` "In one construetion thelatching sector 24 may have its outer j portiondevoi'd of latching teeth 28 so that whenl they deflector beam is in its lowered opy erative position thevlifting lever 25 cannot be lockedto thejsegment 24'Whereby the deflectorbeam is free VAto "rise and fallin passingrfoverA undulations in the side slope s, the lever 25 in such arrangement then oscillating vidly over the outer smooth portion of the latching sector 24. In an' alternative con-- struction, such being shown, teeth 2 8 are proi. v-idedin the outerportion ofthe latching segment whereby .adownward pressure can be exertedv onthe deflector beam through the lever 25 and the beam then locked down under this pressure, such arrangement also being desirable' where the springs 54 are designed to counterbalance a `considerable part yof the;

weight of the ldeflector beam assembly', the

locked relation between the lever 25 and segl ment 24 then preventingsaid springs from removing too much ofthe effectivevweight yfrom the 4deflec'tor beam. V-

The pivot connection 33 between the 32 and 341is lpreferably of the type permitting the angular relation between these two arms to be adjusted and then fixedly maintained in that adjustment. Referring tofFig. 4, they outer end of the arm32 has a boss 57 in the face of which is formed segmental locking teeth 58. Securedto the other army 34 is a bracket 59y which, has a hub 61 in the facev of `whichare'formed cooperating seg-v mental teeth 62 adapted tohave locking engagementibetweenthe teeth 58. A bolt 63 passesthrough the two bosses and is adaptedA to lock the cooperating teeth v58-62 in ltheir given angular adjustment. j

It will be seen 'from the foregoing that `the two vmembers 32 and 34 constitute sections of a jointed 1arm,'which` sections Vcan be shifted to and fixedly locked lin different angular relations. Such adjustments permit of translational or bodily shiftedadjustments of .the deflector beam 35 to accommodate different heights and angles offside slope s. For example, in Fig. 2 this jointed arm has been given vone .setting for a lcertain angle vand contour of roadbed, in which setting the hinge'axis 31 is above the extended plane of the upper edge of the deiiector beam; and in Fig. 3 this ljointed arm hasV beengiven an-f other setting for a different angle and con'-A tour of roadbed, in which setting thek hinge axisA 31 is disposed below this extended plane of the upper edgev of the deflector beam. The angularl adjustment which can -be effected around the hinge axisl'31 plusthe angularv Vadjustment of the delector beam relatively to this h inge axis enables the deflector beam to beadjusted to' any angle, height and'con.-

tourof roadbed. The jointed form of the arm 32, 34 .can also be utilized to enable the defle'ctor beam assembly to be swung upward- `ly to a positiongabove the car 14 when it is desired to transport the outfit from lone zone By disconnecting side clearance for the car. Y

In Fig. 4 the bracket 59 isshown as being i desired, .additional holes `66 may be provided in the arm section 34v for positioning ,secured to the arm section 34 by bolts 65, and,

the bracket 59 at` different 'lengthvof said arm. y

Under some operating conditions it may be desirable to provide extension'deiectors on the upperer lower ends,or both, oiu the main deliector beam, these upper and lower .extensions being indicated atv (57 and 68, respectively, inv Figs. 2 and 3. The upper depoints along the iiector 67 may be used to properly forni the shoulder at the upper end of the slope s and .tocompact the ballast between and around:

the ends of the ties and the lower dellector I68 may be employed oii"collecting scattered -ballaston the sub-grade g and leveling this sub-grade. Fig. 5 illustrates one manner of constructing and attaching one of-tliese ex tension deflectors, and the saine construction is applicable to the other end ot the main dcflector beam, being merely disposed iii ieverse relation. The extensionis shown lbeing constructed of a block 69 having side plates .71 rigidly .secured thereto', withsegvmental portions of these plates projecting f inwardly beyond the block. A pivot bolt 72 isextended through a projecting end of the scraper blade 37 and throughv a bracket 'f3 fastened to the reverse side ot the main de lector beam. rl'ihis pivot .bolt also pass-es plates 71.

through the extending endportionsoi' the A fastening bolt 7d is extended throughthe other edge portion oi the main deiiector beam and this latter boltis-ad-apteti vtobe received in different holes 75 formed adjacent to the curved edges of the plates 71.

Attaching and detaching of lthe detlector extension only requires removing and replac ing these vbolts 72, 74, and the making of diil'er-ent angular adjustments of the delector l extensions relatively tothe main deflector b eam only requires releasing the bolt 7 Ll 'for engaging in different ones ofthe holes 75.

i The quick and easy detachability ofthe mounting bracket 16 and Adeflector beam'af sembly from'the hand-car is an important vfeature of the invention. Thedevice will often lbe vused ontrack sections overk which regular trai'lic occurs, and when a train en- .'tersrthe block or approaches the push-car it is desirable to be able to remove thefout'lit from the track in as short a time as possible. 'It is a rather cumbersome awkwardl opera ationto litt the push-car Jfrom thev railswlien the defiector beam assembly is rconnected thereto, and to avoidy this the above described yprovision has been made whereby the track dressing' parts of the construction can be instantaneously released from the push-car. This only requires releasing the chain 39,

preferably `by disconnecting its front end from the hook 42, and lifting the pins 19 out of their sockets in the socket plate 18. This `enables theentire bracket 16. to be vslid endwise out of the socket plate 18, whereby the mounting bracket and delector-beam assem- '7 bly can be thrown clear of the rails at one #other side of the track.

side of the track. i Thepush-car'can then-be `lifted off the rails .to thesanie side or to thev The reattachment of the parts only requires the slippingof the bracket 16back `into the socket plate 18,',the

dropping of the pins 19 in place,=and'the1re attachment ofthe dratt chain 39 to the hook,

4:2. By virtue of: the fact that the latchiiig .sector 24.,r lifting lever` 25'. and counterbalancing springs 54Ey areV all connected to they vbracket 16, all of these parts are removed as a unit assembly with thefbracket, lwithout necessitating disconnecting any other parts iii-.oni the push-car. 1

l/Vhile l have illustrated (and described what -I regard to be the preferred embodiiiieiit ot my invention, nevertheless, it willbe understoodthat suchis lmerely exemplary and that'numerous modifications and res arrangements of the parts may bemade with# f lout de tion.

l claim: l Y

parting from the-essence of the invenl. ln a railroad track dresser, the combination with'a railway car, of a bracket mounted on said. car,

an arm pivotally mounted on said bracket for substantially vertical swinging movement, a deflecting beam, adjustable means operatively connect ing. said beam with said arm enabling saidbeam to be inclined upwardly or downwardly at difl'erent vertical angles relatively to said arm, said deilecting beam being adapted todeiiect ballast upthesid'elong slope of the railway roadbed towards the rails, and lift-i` ing means mounted on the lcar and operativelj.- connected with said deecting. beam for raising thesame. y

2. ln `a railroad track dresser, the combination. with a railway car, lof a *bracket mounted on said car, an arm pivotally mounted on said bracket ,for vertical swinging movement, a delecting beam, adjustable means operatively connecting 'said-beam with upwardly or downwardly at different verticalangles relatively to said armv and enabling said beam to be shifted to diderent positions mounted on said car, a jointed arm pivotally mounted on said bracket, said jointed arm comprising inner and outer sections adapted to assume ydifferent angular positionsp'the inner section of` said arm.` being pivotally mounted on said bracket, a delecting Ybeam said arm enabling said beam to be inclinedtlo connected with the outer section of said arm, said deflecting beam'being adapted to deflect ballast up the sidelong slope of the railway roadbed towards ythe rails, and lifting means mounted on the car and operatively connected with said deiiecting beam for raising the saine.

4. In a railroad track dresser, the combination with a railway car, ofv a bracket mounted on saidcar, ajointed. arm pivotally mounted on said bracket, said jointed arm comprising inner and outer sections adapted to assume different angular positions, the inner section of said arm beingpivotally mounted on said bracket, a deiiecting beam connected with the outer section of said arm, said deflecting beam `being adapted to deiiect ballast up the side-v long slope of the railway. roadbed towards the rails, and a draft transmitting connection between said deiiecting beam and the railway car.

5. In a railroad track dresseigthe combi-" nation with a railway car, of a bracket adapted to be mounted on said car, quickly detachable mounting means for removably securing said bracket to the car, a jointed arm pivotally mounted on said bracket, said jointed arm comprising inner and outer sectionsadapted to assume different angular positions relative vt-o each other, said inner arm section being pivotally mounted on said bracket,

a deflecting beam connected with the outerv arm section, said deflecting beam beingv adapted to deiectfballastfu'p the sidelong slope of the railway roadbed` towards the rails, and a diagonal draft transmitting con-l nection for transmitting draft fromv the railway car to said Adeflecting beam.

6. Ina railroad track dresser, the combination with a railwaycar, of a bracket adapt- Y ed to be mounted on said car, quickly detachable mounting 'means for removably,v

mounting said bracket on the car, a jointed arm pivotally mounted on said bracket, said jointed arm comprising inner and outer sections adapted to assume diiferent angular.

positions relative to each other, said inner 4arm section being pivotally mounted on said bracket, a vdetlecting beam connected with said'outer arm section, saiddeiiecting beam being adapted to deflect ballast up the'sidelong slope of the railway roadbed towards the rails, lifting means mounted on the car and operatively connectedwith said deflecttransmitting connection extending diagonally between said deflecting beam yand the railwaycar.- f'

7. In a railroad track dresser, the combination with a railway car, of a bracket adapted to be mounted on said car, an arm pivmember on the car forremovably receiving said bracket, whereby said bracket, arm and deflecting beamcan be quickly released as a unit from the railway car. t

8. In -a-railroad track dresser, the combination with a railwaycar, of a bracket adapted to be mounted on said car, an arm pivotally mounted on said bracket, a-defiecting beam connected with said arm, said deflecting beam being adapted to deiiect ballast up the sidelong slope of the railway roadbed towards therails, lifting means mounted on said bracket and operatively connected with .said defiecting beam for raising the same, and

`otally mounted on said bracket, a deflecting ,Y

a socket mounting member on the car for releasably receiving said bracket, whereby said bracket, arm, deflecting beam and lifting means-can be detached from the car as a unit.

-9. In a railroad track dresser, the combination with a railway car, of a deiiecting beam adapted to deflect ballast up the sidelong slope of the railway roadbed towards the rails,v and mechanism for connecting said beam with the car comprising a jointed arm having inner and outer arm sections, means pivotally connecting the inner arm section .with the railwayv car, said deflecting beam being connected with said outer arm section,

'andmeans for securing said arm sections in different angular relations.

10.; In a device ofthe class described, the combination with a railway car, of a deflectling beainadapted to engage the roadbed material to oneside of the' rails, and means for detachably connecting'said beam with the yrailway car comprising a mountingv member secured to the car and having a shoulder, a bracket adapted to be removably engaged with said mounting member and having a vshoulder cooperating with the shoulder on Y v said mounting member for' preventing movement of said bracket. relativelyto said mounting member in one direction,and releasable pin means connecting said bracket with the car preventing movement of said bracket relatively tothe car in another direction.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 5th day of November, A.v D.

' JAMES rA.y BRYANT. 

